Backdating Troubles Wilson Sonsini

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati fired one of its partners last fall, reportedly because he failed to warn the outside company he was advising about backdating stock options.

Christopher Mitchell was fired after high-tech company Sanmina-SCI Corp. announced it had improperly backdated most stock options since 1997, according to the Recorder. Sources told the legal newspaper he was targeted for failing to pick up on the problems.

The revelation is the latest embarrassment for Wilson Sonsini. Around half of the Silicon Valley companies under scrutiny for backdating stock options were clients of the law firm, according to the legal newspaper.

Jun 8, 2007 12:49 PM CDT

Law Firms Urge Gay Attys to Come Out

Not so long ago, it would have been a big problem for an attorney in many law firms to show up at a firm event with a same-sex life partner.…

Jun 7, 2007 6:41 PM CDT

Robins Kaplan to Close D.C. Office

Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi, a Minneapolis-based law firm, has announced plans to close its 30-lawyer office in Washington, D.C.

“Probably 90 percent of our lawyers practice in litigation and…

Jun 7, 2007 12:52 PM CDT

Motion Claims 35,000 Documents Withheld

A pending motion for sanctions claims chip maker Qualcomm failed to turn over more than 35,000 discovery documents in a patent infringement case.

Qualcomm had sued rival semiconductor maker Broadcom…

Jun 7, 2007 12:35 PM CDT

Diversity Still Elusive Goal for Law Firms

Once excluded from many careers in the legal profession, members of racial minority groups are now welcome to practice at law firms in Wisconsin, and throughout the nation. But they…

Jun 6, 2007 9:03 PM CDT

Bingham Offers Associate Buyouts

Bingham McCutchen is paying buyouts to several associates at its San Francisco office,reportedly in response to a slowdown in commercial litigation.

Four associates left the firm and three others transferred…

Jun 6, 2007 12:32 PM CDT

Big Labor Boutique Raids Orlando Rival

The nation’s biggest labor boutique has set up shop in Orlando, Florida, with six attorneys raided from the local office of a rival multistate employment firm.

Littler Mendelson, headquartered in…

Jun 5, 2007 9:25 PM CDT

Group Chastises Calif. Firms on Hiring

An advocacy group supporting greater minority participation in policy making is giving a barely passing grade to several California law firms.

The report by Berkeley’s Greenlining Institute gave Ds and…

Jun 5, 2007 2:23 PM CDT

Howrey Conflict Alleged

A company that owns several patents is seeking to disqualify Howrey from representing a defendant it sued for infringement.

San Francisco company Friskit Inc. says in a May 25 motion…

Jun 5, 2007 1:32 PM CDT

Lawyers Clash in BAR/BRI Case

McGuireWoods and a former partner are clashing over leadership of a $49 million class action against bar review company BAR/BRI.

Eliot Disner, who says the firm fired him after he…

Jun 5, 2007 1:15 PM CDT

Ex-Milberg Partner May Cooperate

A former partner at indicted law firm Milberg Weiss & Bershad would provide evidence for the prosecution if he works out a plea deal.

Lawyer David Bershad is accused of…

Jun 4, 2007 8:30 PM CDT

Giuliani ‘Stepping Back’ as Practitioner

Rudolph Giuliani’s decision two years ago to become a partner in the Manhattan office of a Houston, Texas, law firm at a point in life when many practitioners are retiring…

Jun 4, 2007 7:54 PM CDT

Plaintiffs Firms Bring International Tort Claims

Plaintiffs class-action firms are starting to get involved in international human-rights cases.

Previously such suits were usually brought by public-interest lawyers. But now plaintiffs firms such as Motley Rice of…

Jun 4, 2007 12:47 PM CDT

Pay Gap Grows at Top 100 and 200 Firms

The pay gap is widening for partners in American Lawyer’s top 100 and second 100 law firms.

Average pay for all partners rose 10.7 percent in top 100 firms and…

Jun 1, 2007 7:50 PM CDT

Operation Law Firm Leader

Ex-Military Types Bring Strong Organizational Skills and Integrity to the Job

Jun 1, 2007 5:22 PM CDT